Events Watch: Beijing's Best Events That Won't Leave You Hungover, Jan 3-6
Our Events Watch series aims to highlight events that aren't focused on alcohol and drinking, but instead take a more educational or productive approach. Events include comedy, talks, networking events, markets, and dinners etc.
Tuesday, January 3
Beijing Playhouse Drama Club Workshop
Try something different this week at the Beijing Playhouse Drama Club workshop. The workshop involves practicing scenes before performing them in pairs or in a group, and is open to absolutely anyone. A few tips will be shared after each performance, but the main aim of this workshop is for attendees to get the stage time and prepare them for what it might be like to act on the stage in a real production. 6.30-9.30pm. Free. Beijing Playhouse Drama Club
Classic Movie Tuesday: Harvey
Join the Pop-up Beijing family in their cozy wine bar for a tipple, a classic movie, and laughs galore. Henry Koster's Harvey, based on Mary Chase's eponymous play, captures the escapades of Elwood P. Dowd (played by James Stewart), a whimsical middleaged man thought by his family to be insane thanks to his insistence that he has an invisible six-foot-tall rabbit for a best friend … but he may actually be wiser than anyone knows. Also starring Josephine Hull and Peggy Dow. 7.30-9.30pm. Free. Pop-Up Beijing
Wednesday, January 4
CBA: Beijing Ducks vs Shanxi Brave Dragons
We’re roughly two-thirds through the CBA regular season; and no doubt, it is grind time for our hometown Ducks. Wednesday’s matchup against the Shanxi Brave Dragons will be crucial as both teams are jockeying for a playoff berth – only eight out of the 20 CBA teams actually make the postseason.
The key to a Ducks win: stopping shooting guard Jamaal Franklin. He was absolutely monstrous the last time these two teams faced off, recording a ridiculous 61 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists – arguably the most impressive triple-double in CBA history. 7.35-10pm. RMB 60-1,200 (tickets here). LeSports Arena Wukesong
4Corners Storytelling
"This one time ..." we say, and away they go. At storytelling night, witness seasoned tellers and people just giving it a go take the stage with their wideranging tales. Often funny, personal, shocking, hilarious, emotional, and even sometimes poignant, the stories carry you away for a few hours in the middle of the week. Get a free drink for your story. The show starts every Wednesday at 9pm(-ish). Free. 4Corners
Thursday, January 7
Riverdance
The international Irish dance phenomenon returns to Beijing for Riverdance: The 20th Anniversary World Tour. The performance draws on Irish traditions as well as the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music into the present day to create an innovative and exciting blend of dance, music, and song. Jan 5-8, 7.30-9.30pm. RMB 280-1,200. Beijing Exhibition Center
Friday, January 6
National Theatre Live Screenings: The Audience
National Theatre Live is jointly staged by the National Theatre of China and the Royal National Theatre. The program brings top productions from the stages of London and New York to Beijing and UCCA via high-definition screenings. The use of slide rails, close-ups, and other features offer audiences a detailed audiovisual experience that heightens the unique charms of the theater. This time the production shown will be The Audience. In the evening (6pm onwards) you can also see Coriolanus. 2-5pm. RMB 120, RMB 80 (members). UCCA
Wooozy Community Films: They Will Have to Kill Us First (pictured at the top)
The Western Saharan country is home to some of the world’s most extraordinary musicians and sounds, the birthplace of a thousand styles. Often overlooked, the musical world owes much to Mali.
In the lead-up to Mali guitarist Vieux Farka Touré's gig on January 15 at Yugong Yishan, Wooozy Community Films is proud to present the first China screening for They Will Have to Kill Us First (2016), the award-winning documentary that shines a light and lends a ear to some of the most spectacular sounds being made on the planet today. They Will Have to Kill Us First shows us Mali’s inspirational, joyous music culture, and its will to survive. This is a film about how music is a force for good, and how it endures even in the most difficult of times. The film will be shown in English with Chinese subtitles. 8pm. Free. Aotu Studio
More stories by this author here.
Email: margauxschreurs@truerun.com
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Images: courtesy of the organizers
